Narrative:

I was reassigned to do a functional check flight. At the end of my sequence via ACARS, I did not acknowledge this assignment. I was not met by anyone concerning the functional check flight at the gate, making the assignment illegal. I chose to do it anyway. Nothing was coordinated and it took over 30 mins to get everyone on the same page. Maintenance repeatedly told me they weren't expecting to fly the aircraft at this time. Upon arrival at the aircraft, I read the write-up of the ferry pilot. This aircraft had been at zzy for 6 weeks and no one knew why. The write-up was for low power at all phases of flight. I asked what was done to fix this and was told by the supervisor that the engines were trimmed and that was all. At the end of the runway, I ran the power up, N1 was 80% and was supposed to be 88%. The aircraft took over 6000 ft of runway for takeoff and climbed out at 1000-1500 FPM. This was obviously unacceptable so I terminated my 'test' flight. I am not a qualified test pilot nor was I being paid like one. I can't believe this was being done at XA00 -- after flying all day -- especially when maintenance was not really ready for us. Why didn't they do a runup staticly and look at the power settings first? In my opinion, this put me and the aircraft in a very dangerous position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW FLEW A TEST FLT AND OBSERVED ACFT LACKING IN NORMAL ENG PERFORMANCE.

Narrative: I WAS REASSIGNED TO DO A FUNCTIONAL CHK FLT. AT THE END OF MY SEQUENCE VIA ACARS, I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ASSIGNMENT. I WAS NOT MET BY ANYONE CONCERNING THE FUNCTIONAL CHK FLT AT THE GATE, MAKING THE ASSIGNMENT ILLEGAL. I CHOSE TO DO IT ANYWAY. NOTHING WAS COORDINATED AND IT TOOK OVER 30 MINS TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE. MAINT REPEATEDLY TOLD ME THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING TO FLY THE ACFT AT THIS TIME. UPON ARR AT THE ACFT, I READ THE WRITE-UP OF THE FERRY PLT. THIS ACFT HAD BEEN AT ZZY FOR 6 WKS AND NO ONE KNEW WHY. THE WRITE-UP WAS FOR LOW PWR AT ALL PHASES OF FLT. I ASKED WHAT WAS DONE TO FIX THIS AND WAS TOLD BY THE SUPVR THAT THE ENGS WERE TRIMMED AND THAT WAS ALL. AT THE END OF THE RWY, I RAN THE PWR UP, N1 WAS 80% AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 88%. THE ACFT TOOK OVER 6000 FT OF RWY FOR TKOF AND CLBED OUT AT 1000-1500 FPM. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY UNACCEPTABLE SO I TERMINATED MY 'TEST' FLT. I AM NOT A QUALIFIED TEST PLT NOR WAS I BEING PAID LIKE ONE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS BEING DONE AT XA00 -- AFTER FLYING ALL DAY -- ESPECIALLY WHEN MAINT WAS NOT REALLY READY FOR US. WHY DIDN'T THEY DO A RUNUP STATICLY AND LOOK AT THE PWR SETTINGS FIRST? IN MY OPINION, THIS PUT ME AND THE ACFT IN A VERY DANGEROUS POS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.